Poinsettia plant named ‘PER4703’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘PER4703’, characterized by its uniform, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; late season flowering response; inflorescences with maroon red-colored flower bracts; and excellent post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PER4703’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPoinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘PER4703’.

The new Poinsettia a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Encinitas, Calif. The objective of the breeding programis to create new Poinsettia cultivars having flower bracts withdesirable colors, uniform plant habit and excellent post-productionlongevity.

The new Poinsettia is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of theEuphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar Eckadire, disclosed in U.S. PlantPat. No. 12,846. The cultivar PER4703 was discovered and selected by theInventor from within a population of plants of ‘Eckadire’ in acontrolled environment in Encinitas, Calif. in January, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal vegetativecuttings in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif. since March,2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexualreproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar PER4703 has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘PER4703’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘PER4703’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofPoinsettia:

-   -   1. Uniform, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant        habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   4. Late season flowering response; under natural season        conditions, plants flower in about 9 weeks in Encinitas, Calif.    -   5. Inflorescences with maroon red-colored flower bracts that are        lobed.    -   6. Excellent post-production longevity.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants ofthe new Poinsettia differed from plants of the parent, the cultivarEckadire, primarily in flower bract color as plants of the cultivarEckadire had dark red-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Poinsettiacultivar 490, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,825. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettiadiffered from plants of the cultivar 490 in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered about two weeks later        than plants of the cultivar 490 grown under natural season        conditions.    -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia and the cultivar 490 differed in        flower bract coloration as plants of the cultivar 490 had dark        red-colored flower bracts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Poinsettia. These photographs show the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Poinsettia.

The photograph at the bottom of sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘PER4703’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalinflorescences of ‘PER4703’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The followingobservations and measurements describe plants grown in Encinitas, Calif.during the winter in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse and underconditions and practices which approximate those generally used incommercial Poinsettia production. During the production of the plants,day temperatures averaged 24° C., night averaged 19° C. and light levelswere about 4,000 foot-candles. Measurements and numerical valuesrepresent averages for typical flowering plants. Single plants weregrown in 16.5-cm pots and pinched one time. Plants were about 19 weeksold when the photographs and the detailed description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima cultivar PER4703.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Euphorbia    pulcherrima Willd. cultivar Eckadire, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat.    No. 12,846.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About ten days at 20° C. to 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at            20° C. to 22° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant habit and form.—Uniform, upright, outwardly spreading            and mounded plant habit; inverted triangle. Inflorescences            positioned above the foliar plane. Vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 38 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 55 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: Freely branching            habit, about seven lateral branches develop after pinching.            Length: About 30 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Internode length:            About 2 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: 146A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 12.5 cm. Width: About 11.5 cm. Shape: Elliptic or            five-pointed. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire            or lobed. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper surface:            Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Minute pubescence.            Surface: Rugose. Aspect: Mostly flat. Color: Developing and            fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Darker than 147A;            venation, 147B. Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower            surface: 147A; venation, 147C. Petiole: Length: About 6 cm.            Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 59A.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound            corymbs of cyathia with colored flower bracts subtending the            cyathia. One inflorescence per lateral branch. Flowers are            not fragrant. Flowers persistent. Inflorescences positioned            above the foliage.        -   Natural flowering season.—Autumn/winter; inflorescence            initiation and development is induced under long nyctoperiod            conditions. Late season flowering; response time, about 9            weeks; natural season flowering maturity date is early            December for plants grown in Encinitas, Calif.        -   Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production            longevity; plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good            substance and bract color for about four weeks under            interior conditions.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 35 cm. Height (depth):            About 11 cm.        -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 20. Length,            largest bracts: About 17.5 cm. Width, largest bracts: About            12.5 cm. Shape: Elliptic; lobed. Apex: Acuminate. Base:            Acute to attenuate. Margin: Entire; lobed. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Surface: Slightly            rugose to smooth. Aspect: Slightly upright. Venation            pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing or transitional bracts,            upper and lower surfaces: 53A. Fully developed bracts, upper            surface: 53A. Fully developed bracts, lower surface: 53B.            Venation, upper and lower surfaces: Similar to flower bract            color. Bract petiole: Length: About 4.5 cm. Diameter: About            3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Color, upper and lower surfaces: 53A.        -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About 15. Diameter of cyathia            cluster: About 3.5 cm by 4 cm. Length: About 1.2 cm. Width:            About 6 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color, immature: 146A. Color,            mature: 146B to 146C. Nectaries: Quantity per cyathium:            About one or two. Size: About 2.5 mm by 5 mm. Color: 21A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium:            About 15. Anther shape: Oval; bi-lobed. Anther length: About            1 mm. Anther color: 59A. Amount of pollen: Scarce. Pollen            color: 12A. Pistils: None observed. Seed/fruit: Seed and            fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been    shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Poinsettias.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been    observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 15° C. to about    30° C.

1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘PER4703’ as illustratedand described.